Holy Palmer's Kiss
by wordslinger
Summary: They are both fluent in the language of touch. Jerza. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: This collection will be from a series of prompts titled "Non-sexual Acts of Intimacy." These are non-linear and in my mind they take place in Seattle, WA.**_

* * *

 _"Finding the other wearing their clothes"_

* * *

He shook his hair free of droplets and scrubbed the towel over it. Pointed spikes of blue stuck out everywhere but it was Sunday and he didn't care. The wet towel landed on top of his uniform in the hamper. For the first time in three days Jellal had nowhere to be. He liked the look of his work clothes under a towel that still smelled of Erza's shampoo.

The mirror above the chest of drawers was old and fading but he could still see her behind him lounging in bed. She turned the page of her book without looking up. Red hair spilled across three pillows and his fingers itched to tangle in it.

Jellal pulled on the clean sweat pants he'd left out for himself but the t-shirt was nowhere to be found.

"Erza, have you –" He cut off when she glanced up from her book. The shirt fit her differently but that was to be expected.

"Did you need something?" she asked.

"No, never mind."


	2. Chapter 2

_"Holding hands"_

* * *

Public displays of affection weren't his favorite thing but Erza was subtle. He loved the feel of her palm against his and the casual way she would link their fingers together. On Saturdays Jellal would indulge her and they'd stroll though the rows of shops along the pier.

The skies were rarely clear but when the wind picked up her hair it didn't matter. All the light in the universe flowed through the strands she tucked behind her ears in annoyance. He might offer to braid it for her but truth be told, he loved Erza's hair best when it was wild.

Jellal smiled and brought the back of her hand to his lips. A grin peeked just so. She didn't have to speak. Her hand said enough. As long as she never let him go, he would follow anywhere.


	3. Chapter 3

_"Having their hair washed by the other"_

* * *

Jellal wasn't used to being on the receiving end of things. He'd transported and treated hundreds of broken, bruised, and bleeding people to hospitals across town as a paramedic. His ability to calm even the most hysterical victim was not unknown amongst his colleagues. However, as a patient himself? Terrible. He sulked the entire way to the hospital after crashing his bicycle into a line of trash bins at the bottom of a street near Thornton Creek Park.

It didn't occur to him until the morning after his release how difficult showering would be with a broken arm and stitches in his calf. Washing his hair alone turned out to be impossible and when Erza came home from work to find him pouting on the couch in a still-damp bath towel and dried soap in his hair – she sighed. _Loudly._

"Oh, Jellal," she said with exasperation. He peered up at her with a forlorn expression that resembled a naughty child. Erza left her bags on the table and took his hand.

With a clinical determination, she helped him wash his body – a feat he now knew to never again try alone until the stitches, at least, were sorted. Erza left him to dry himself and pull on a pair of shorts. Jellal joined her at the kitchen sink feeling somewhat refreshed but with a growing itch on his scalp.

"Sit, please." She directed him to a chair in front of the sink and gently pushed his unbruised shoulder back at a tilt.

Jellal hadn't ever let anyone besides a barber wash his hair in a very long time. The quick spray and pull wasn't something he'd ever thought of as relaxing... but _this?_ The way Erza's fingers slid through his hair and rinsed the dried soap away felt nothing short of magical. She squeezed the excess water out and worked in fresh shampoo and conditioner.

He closed his eyes and enjoyed all the sensations. A selfish part of him couldn't help but wonder if she'd wash his hair every day. Maybe she would if he asked nicely.


	4. Chapter 4

_"One falling asleep with their head in the other's lap"_

* * *

The movie had been her idea. He didn't quite feel up to it but at least she'd chosen comedy and not her typical fare of intense romantic entanglements. Erza stretched out across the couch and tucked her hands under his thigh she used as a pillow. As always his attention was held more by the mass of red hair suddenly at his fingertips.

Images flickered and danced on the tv screen but Jellal had very little interest. Strands of red were curled around his fingers and that was the important thing. Two thirds of the way through the movie he realized Erza had fallen asleep. Her breaths were even and her face had fallen slightly forward into his leg.

Jellal carefully reached for the remote and switched the tv off. He supposed the couch wasn't a bad place for a nap. The cold drizzle of winter rain softly pelted the windows as his own fingers went lax in her hair.


	5. Chapter 5

_"Cuddling in a blanket fort"_

* * *

"Hey, there." Erza peeked through the gap in the sheets with a smile. "I saw the news. Are you okay?" Jellal grimaced. Her smile fell and she reached out to tidy his rumpled hair. "Why don't we order pizza and call it a day, huh? I'll be right b–"

His hand shot out to grab her wrist. "Can you stay with me for a minute?" His voice was soft but pleading. She should've known he wasn't okay. Jellal hadn't ever made a blanket fort for no reason – they'd been his refuge even as a child.

"Sure." Erza kicked off her heels and crawled through the flaps of sheets. His fingers twisted her hair and he hid his face in her neck.

Even as a seasoned paramedic death never failed to leave a mark on him.


	6. Chapter 6

_"Sharing a bed"_

* * *

The age gap _screamed_ birth control failure but, nevertheless, Jellal sometimes doted on his eight year old sister in a fatherly way. She'd come bouncing into the world just after his seventeenth birthday and Meredy hadn't ever known a world where her brother wasn't attached at the hip to Erza. Jellal suspected she viewed them as an indivisible pair.

After twenty-five straight years of child-rearing their parents were on a much needed vacation. This is how Jellal found himself trying to wordlessly communicate with Erza the best way to vacate the fold out couch bed without disturbing Meredy. She'd required close company to fall asleep but now he wanted his own bed back.

Jellal rolled to his back and sat up triumphantly. He had one leg over the edge of the mattress when a hand snagged in the edge of his t-shirt. His shoulders slumped and Erza's stifled giggles signified his defeat. Jellal fell back into the mattress and didn't even try to pry Meredy's fingers from his shirt. His head rolled to the side and could just make out Erza's expression in the darkness.

"Sorry," she mouthed before winking at him. He didn't actually think she was sorry at all.


	7. Chapter 7

_"Head scratches"_

* * *

Erza flexed her ankle and crossed one leg over the other. She turned a page in her book and didn't flinch at all when the mattress bounced – at least she'd had the foresight to finish her tea before Jellal finished his shower. His damp hair tickled her thighs and even though she knew he was smiling ridiculously, childishly _,_ and _expectantly_ – she didn't set aside her book.

Jellal scooted closer and the back of his head reclined perfectly over her leg. Really, her thighs were the most perfectly ergonomic pillows. Boobs were great but her lap was more supportive. He waited for her to finish the chapter. If he wanted her attention, it was best to be patient.

With absolutely no urgency, Erza folded the corner of the page down and placed the book beside her empty teacup. She didn't look quite at him, no, her eyes slid to the points of blue that had left droplets on the hem of her nightgown. Finally, _finally_ , her fingers began to comb through his hair. Erza's fingernails gently raked over his scalp and Jellal's eyes slid closed.

"How was your day?" she asked softly.

"Great," he said with a very satisfied grin.


	8. Chapter 8

_"Sharing a dessert"_

* * *

Somewhere, someone said that dessert should be eaten slowly... or perhaps last? Something about savoring sweetness? Whatever it was, Erza had no time for nonsense like that. As long as he'd known her, she'd ordered dessert first and _devoured_ it. Jellal appreciated that Erza always took exactly what she wanted. He had no complaints. Even when what she wanted was _his_ dessert.

Erza favored cake. Super sweet, fluffy stuff with slices of strawberry and thick dollops of icing. Jellal's tastes were denser. He preferred brownies dripping with chocolate syrup and trails of half melted ice cream – and he never, _ever_ ordered dessert first. This was for two reasons. The first being that he wanted the last flavors of dinner to be thick and sweet... the second was much more selfish. Erza never failed to eye him with a delicious desperation when she finished her meal. She would silently plead with him every single time. Her body would lean forward over the edge of the table and he knew her hands were clasped anxiously in her lap.

Jellal enjoyed making her wait. He would savor at least one bite for himself before pretending to notice her gaze. Of course he would share – even _that_ was a little bit selfish, though. Dessert always tasted better when it came from her lips.


	9. Chapter 9

_"Shoulder rubs"_

* * *

Their apartment was dark and he found her prone on the bed with one arm hanging over the edge. Jellal tossed his uniform top across the arm chair near the closet before crouching beside Erza's arm. He took her hand, kissed her fingers, and brushed the fringe of hair from her eyes. She grimaced.

"Still not feeling well?" he asked with concern. This wasn't even the first time this week he'd found her in such a state.

"No," she mumbled. "I was sick all day. Everything feels tense."

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes and no." Erza brought his hand up onto the mattress and tucked it under her shoulder. She smiled but it was still not much more than a grimace. "My stomach says I'm hungry but my brain tells me everything is terrible."

"I'm worried about you," Jellal whispered. "This isn't normal."

"I'll be fine. Maybe it's just a bug."

Jellal pursed his lips. He didn't think it was a bug. His personal suspicions felt too enormous to voice. "Erza –"

"I know," she said meeting his eyes. "Just give me another few days, okay?"

"Alright. Less than a week, though, right?"

"Less than a week."

"Does anything sound appetizing?"

"Don't plan dinner around me, Jellal. Everything is out of whack."

"Is pizza okay?" he persisted. "I didn't stop at the store on my way home from the firehouse."

Erza wrinkled her nose. "If pizza is what you want, go ahead. Could you order some plain breadsticks too, though? I think that's what I want."

"Okay," he said with a smile. "I can handle that."

* * *

Erza sat on the floor between his knees munching on small bites of bread. He didn't apply much thought to the way he wrapped her hair over itself into a bun, but his mind was a jumble. As his fingers worked into the tense muscles of Erza's shoulders he started crunching numbers. The number of days in a month, the number of months left in their apartment lease, and how difficult it would be to get into a house before... well, before...


	10. Chapter 10

_"Reading a book together"_

* * *

"Wow," Jellal said with more enthusiasm than intended.

"What?" Erza pressed her cheek against his shoulder, rolled over onto her side, and tried to find his place on the page. "What's so _wow?"_ His finger pointed to the very clinical diagram.

"I guess I just didn't think of the actual logistics of all this." He continued to stare at the pictures. "I mean, everything's all bunched up and squished."

Erza rolled her eyes and reached up to turn the page. "I can't believe a medical professional such as yourself would describe _anything_ as _'bunched up and squished.'_ "

"None of this is shocking to you?" he asked in surprise.

"I try not to think about it too much, Jellal. I'd rather assume it's all magical and will happen exactly the way it's supposed to with or without my knowledge."

He snorted. " _Magical?_ And you have the nerve to tease me!"

 _"I'm_ the one going through this," she said haughtily. "Let me have my fantasies before it's time to actually push a watermelon out of a lemon sized hole."

"I apologize." Jellal turned his head and kissed her temple. "Feel free to imagine that the faeries will come and deliver the baby with pixie dust."

"Speaking of magic and pixies..." Erza scooted closer to him under the blankets and wrapped her hands around his arm. "Have your parents told Meredy what's happening yet?"

"Yeah." Jellal closed the book and set it aside. "She thinks she's getting a sister."

Erza giggled into his shoulder. "I see. Well, I suppose that's okay."

"She's _very_ excited." He reached over and pulled on the lamp chain. Their bedroom fell into darkness and Jellal slid down on his pillows to face her. For a long while they lay in silence listening to the soft patter of rain against the window. "I'm excited, too."

"I hope so," Erza whispered. "Because I'm terrified."


	11. Chapter 11

_"Caring for each other while ill"_

* * *

Jellal knew he was a terrible patient. He whined and sulked. Erza was the opposite. She tended to internalize and determining the extent of any illness was difficult. Usually she didn't take time off work unless she absolutely had to. So when Jellal came home from an early shift to find her sweating through the bedsheets he had understandable panic.

Erza groaned when he pulled the damp sheets off her and helped her into the shower. She'd always been the type to feel better after bathing. He washed her hair and managed to twist it into a sloppy braid before she fell back into the freshly made bed.

She didn't protest when he insisted on water and tylenol. She didn't whine or beg for anything. She only apologized for needing him so much. Jellal tried to anticipate anything she might need including trips to the toilet. He thought maybe his attentiveness would make up for the way he clung when he had so much as a head cold.

When her flu inevitably passed to him – because Erza and Jellal shared absolutely everything and always had – she kissed his feverish forehead and made it clear she never bothered with keeping score.


	12. Chapter 12

_"Patching up a wound"_

* * *

"Should I blow on it first?" she asked with an upward grin. "Will that help?" His fingers gripped the edge of the counter where he was perched as if she were about to perform invasive surgery with no anesthesia.

"You're teasing me." Jellal knew he was pouting.

"I'm sorry. You're just adorable when you're injured." Erza peeled the bandaid from the packaging and carefully spread it over the scrape on his knee. "Remember when you got all banged up on your bike? I had to wash your hair for weeks."

Jellal laughed and pulled her between his legs. "That was _medically necessary._ "

"Oh really?" she asked with playful incredulity. "I'm pretty sure that there's a product out there to cover a cast specifically for showering."

"I had stitches too!"

Erza leaned forward and brushed his nose with hers. "You mean the stitches that dissolved in two weeks? Those stitches?"

"I was _vulnerable_ , Erza. How can you be so heartless?" His hands slid around her waist and slipped beneath the hem of her t-shirt.

"Are you vulnerable now?" she asked in a low voice.

"I am so, _so_ vulnerable."

She smiled and twisted out of his grasp. "Then I think you should lie down and have some of these." Erza pressed a bottle of Tylenol into his hand. "I'd hate to be accused of not taking proper care of you."


	13. Chapter 13

_"Taking a bath together"_

* * *

Jellal sat on the toilet seat lid and itched at his arms again. The soles of his feet itched too and all he wanted was to be in the tub. He supposed he should count himself lucky that he hadn't had more than one bite before Erza noticed the rice and grabbed his arm. He'd get away with an oatmeal bath instead of an allergy shot. The tub was almost full when Erza brought the towels. He tried to smile up at her but only managed a grimace. Allergy itch wasn't something Jellal had ever handled with grace. She leaned down and kissed his forehead.

"You'll feel better soon," Erza said softly over the roar of the gushing water. She tossed the oatmeal and lavender satchels into the tub and twisted the faucet off. "At least this apartment has a nice tub."

"Yeah." Jellal crouched in the water before settling. He splayed his fingers over the bottom of the tub and decided he was grateful for the size of it. The water nearly reached his shoulders instead of a typical tub that would, at best, cover him to the waist. Their last apartment – though appropriate for a young, recently graduated couple – had been much smaller and only boasted a standing shower stall. Erza slid into the water behind him and Jellal wiggled his toes. The itch would take some time to dissipate.

"I'm sorry about dinner," she offered. Erza squeezed water from a washcloth over his exposed shoulders.

"It's not your fault. It's _my_ allergy and it's not like the stuff wasn't _obviously_ rice." He shrugged and leaned forward on his knees.

"You couldn't have known, Jellal. You don't speak Italian and _Sartu di Riso_ isn't something we've ever had before. I think the waiter felt terrible."

"It's not his fault either." Jellal sighed and twisted his head around to smile at her. "It could've been worse."

Erza kissed his shoulder and pressed her cheek against the spot. "Yes, it could've."


	14. Chapter 14

_"One character playing with the other's hair"_

* * *

Erza plucked the book from his hands and tossed it aside. Jellal's curiosity was piqued but he didn't question her when she crawled into his lap and sighed dramatically.

"I'm so tired," she muttered. "Today was ten million meetings and tomorrow will be the same. My head is pounding."

"I'm sorry," Jellal said adjusting his back against the headboard. Erza shifted and her hair fell over his chest and shoulders.

"Fix it?" Erza asked softly. "I'll read your manual out loud if it's important but I need you to fix it."

Jellal smirked. He didn't need to be asked twice. "I don't care about the manual. The test isn't until next week and I'll ace it anyway."

"Of course you will," she said closing her eyes as his fingers slid into her hair and over her scalp. Erza knew better than to keep the mass of it in tight buns or braids but the weather had been too humid lately for comfort.

"Because I'm a genius?"

 _"Talented."_

"Brilliant?"

 _"Ridiculous."_ A smile played on her lips even as she said it. Her headaches bowed to no one but Jellal and he deserved all the credit for _that._


	15. Chapter 15

_"Accidentally falling asleep together"_

* * *

"That one!" Erza suddenly pointed at the laptop screen. Jellal leaned forward and squinted at the smaller print.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "It's not convertible."

Erza laughed softly and snuggled back into his arm. "Have you forgotten Meredy's teething phase? If you think a crib will carry a child decently into _'big kid'_ stages, I have some news for you."

"That's true. She was worse than a labrador."

"Your sister was _not_ worse than a puppy, Jellal."

"Sure felt like it," he muttered. Jellal clicked on the crib link and enlarged the pictures. "You like this one, huh?"

"I do. It's nice and won't crowd the room."

"How big is it again?"

"The baby's room? I think the realtor said eight by ten."

"We should measure before dropping six hundred dollars on a bedroom suite."

Erza laughed again and kissed his shoulder. "If you think that's necessary."

"Are you teasing me? I just want to be _sure._ "

"You are nothing if not thorough, Jellal. I'll email her on Monday." She stifled a yawn. "Let's look at the sheets again."

"I liked the yellow ones."

"Yellow would go best with the darker wood." Erza yawned again and Jellal did the same.

"Your constant sleepiness is contagious."

"Sorry," she said with a sigh and yet another yawn. "I can't help it."

"Sheep or elephants?" Jellal scrolled quickly through the fabric swatches but felt his consciousness waning. "Erza?" When she didn't respond he glanced to his right. Her eyes were closed.

Jellal smiled and set aside the laptop. She stirred only when he adjusted both of them further down into the bed pillows. It wasn't the first time she'd dozed off on him and truth be told, he didn't mind at all.


	16. Chapter 16

_"Forehead or cheek kisses"_

* * *

"I'm nervous."

"Don't be. I _promise_ everything will be fine."

"You can't promise that."

"Too late." Jellal took her hands in his and kissed the back of both of them. "I already did."

Erza huffed. "But –"

"We've been to a million classes on how to breathe and how to push and how to sit and feed and hold and every possible thing in the world." He smiled up at her. "And we have the added benefit of recent experience. Not everyone gets a newborn baby sister at seventeen."

" _Recent?_ That was almost ten years ago."

"Well, recent- _ish._ " Jellal shrugged. "We'll be _fine._ "

"It's not the baby that makes me nervous," she whispered. "It's the birth. People _die._ What if something goes wrong? What if we don't get to the hospital in time? What if we get there early and they send me away but then the baby decides to come on the way home and –"

 _"Erza,"_ he said softly. "I'm a professional. I've delivered a baby before. All that stuff you just said is _nothing_ I can't handle."

"What if I _die?_ "

Jellal's smile didn't flinch in the slightest. He stood from a crouch and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "You won't."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."


	17. Chapter 17

_"One character adjusting the other's jewelry/neck tie/etc"_

* * *

Jellal fumbled the neck tie once more and huffed in frustration. He didn't think Meredy would care one way or the other what he wore to her recital... but his mother was a champion Purser of Lips. _She_ would have an opinion if he didn't wear the tie.

 _"Erza!"_ he called over his shoulder. "Erza, can you help me?" She didn't reply and only emerged from the closet once clothed. The dress hung loosely on her and when she joined him at the mirror, Erza gathered her hair over one shoulder and turned her back.

"Zip me up?"

Jellal grinned. He shamelessly ran his fingers along the strip of exposed skin as he drew the zipper upward. There was something incredibly intimate about the act of zipping her dress. Erza broke his concentration by whirling around and inspecting his tie. She frowned.

"What?" he asked glancing down. "Is there a spot?"

"You can't wear this." She tugged the tie loose from his collar and disappeared back into the closet.

"Why not? It's just a tie!"

"Purple has never been your color, Jellal." Erza returned with a green silk tie instead. She didn't say a word as she pulled up his collar and began the process of wrapping, looping, and straightening. He didn't protest when she ran her fingers over the front of his shirt. "There. Very handsome."

"One day I'll do all that myself."

Erza laughed and leaned up to gently kiss his nose. "No you won't."


	18. Chapter 18

_"Back scratches"_

* * *

She was fidgeting. Erza never fidgeted. Well, _almost_ never. As a little girl she'd been prone to shyness and hand wringing but it had been a long time since he'd seen her actually do it. Of course she had good reason. And it wasn't that Jellal was immune to the gravity of the situation. _Not at all._ Meredy's asthma attack had been treated and she was almost breathing normally again. Erza's anxiety only compounded the situation.

"You two should go. We'll call when she's released in the morning," his father said quietly.

"Right," Jellal muttered. He joined Erza in the doorway of Meredy's room. The machines beeped and whirred. His hand settled on her back and his fingers drew circle after circle. He watched Meredy breathing into the mask and his forehead crinkled.

"Hey." Erza turned into him and grabbed his hand. "You're going to scratch a hole through my shirt."

"Sorry," he said, letting her guide him into the hallway.

"She'll be fine."

"I know."

"She's lucky to have a big brother like you."

"One who takes her to the park and runs her into a full on asthma attack?" Guilt still sat heavily in his chest.

 _"No,"_ Erza insisted. "One who has years of experience as a paramedic, and a spare medic bag in his trunk. A big brother who not only saved her life but is an excellent driver, as well."

She folded her fingers between his and Jellal let his forehead fall against hers. He'd wanted to comfort her but somehow she'd ended up comforting _him_.


	19. Chapter 19

_"Reacting to the other one crying about something"_

* * *

He found her in the baby's room. Boxes were still stacked everywhere and the furniture wasn't in any kind of order – not that he'd expected her to have the room baby-ready on the first day of her maternity leave. She still had three weeks to sort things out. Jellal would make sure the rest of the house was taken care of himself but Erza wanted to focus on the nursery.

"Erza?" The room wasn't lit except for the pink and yellow inchworm nightlight. When she turned to him her cheeks resembled the rain-soaked windows behind her. Jellal left his uniform top on the nearest stack of boxes and quickly crossed the room. "What's wrong?"

She let him wipe the tears from her face before pressing her forehead to his shoulder. As much as he wanted to embrace her tightly, he couldn't. The baby bump between them shifted excitedly.

"I miss the apartment," Erza said softly. "Everything is different here. I think I hate it." She sniffled and clutched at his waist.

"You hate the house? Or just this room?"

"The house."

"I think you'll feel differently once we unpack and our stuff isn't in boxes."

"This room feels cold, too."

Jellal chuckled as his fingers slid through her hair. He gathered the bulk of it and cupped the back of her neck with his hand. "I promise it's just the boxes. They're messing with your head."

"Do you think I'm being stupid?"

"No. I think you've got a lot on your plate and the move didn't help. I read somewhere that moving is one of the most stressful events a human will experience in their life."

"I love you," she whispered. "Don't ever leave."

"I would never."

She finally smiled up at him. "Speaking of plates... I'm hungry."

"We'll eat in bed. The dining room's a wreck. I'll fix everything this weekend."

"Promise?"

"I promise."


	20. Chapter 20

_**Author's Note: So this is the end. Thanks for being such wonderful readers! I'm sad to see this one go but nothing lasts forever!**_

* * *

 _"Slow dancing"_

* * *

The lights glinted off the setting of her ring and he could not stop staring. The ceremony had been small but served it's purpose well. Jellal didn't need Erza to change her name or wear a ring. He'd given her his heart many years ago along with a cluster of rhododendron blooms from the bushes that still lined the back of his parent's property. However, once Livy came along... Erza began to show an interest.

Now, two years later, Jellal watched a curl of scarlet hair slip from the twist and brush his wife's neck. The lights were low and he could hear the low voices of family at the table behind them. He didn't need to turn around to know his thirteen year old sister and three year old daughter – in mostly matching dresses – were dozing on a row of chairs.

"You looked beautiful today," he said softly in her ear.

"What about yesterday when I was running around with wet nails in my underwear?"

"You looked beautiful then too."

Erza laughed quietly and smiled up at him. "Thank you for dancing with me. I know it's not your favorite."

" _Anything_ for you, Mrs. Fernandes." Jellal kissed the shell of her ear and slid his hand from her waist to the small of her back.


End file.
